Devotional chair.



J. B. WEBSTER.

DEVOTIONAL CHAIR.

APPLIOATION nun APR. 28, 1011.

1,025,348. Patented May 7, 1912.

WITNESSES INVENTOR W W zaqhllwma UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN B. WEBSTER, OF SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA.

DEVO-TIONAL CHAIR.

Application filed April 28, 1911.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN B. WEBSTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Jose, in the county of Santa Clara and State of California, have invented a new and useful Devotional Chair; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to a chair which is especially designed for the purpose of devotion and particularly for prayer.

The object of my invention is to produce a chair, which may be used as an ordinary chair, and which may be quickly and readily converted into a devotional chair.

To this end my invention consists of certain features of construction and combinations of parts as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the 1 views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my in vention showing the picture frames when the false back is opened, forming a cross. The kneeling bench and arm rest are shown in place, and book stop is shown folded. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of my invention with the false back closed. The head rest is shown folded on the top of the chair and the kneeling bench is shown between the front stanchions of the chair, held in place by spring stops. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of my invention showing the head rest removed from the top of the chair and connected to the arms of the chair by rods inserted in tube rod receivers, the head rest being unfolded and used as Bible rest. The

kneeling bench is shown in place to be used as a foot rest. Fig. t'is a detail view of the tube rod receivers on the front stanchions of the chair. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the tube rod receivers on the back stanchions of the chair.

I will now proceed to describe the construction and mode of operation of my devotional chair, forming the subject matter of this application, reference being had particularly to Figs. 12-3 in which 1 represents the front stanchions or posts attached to the rear stanchions or posts 2, by braces 3. The seat frame 4, seat 5, and arms 6 are attached to the front stanchions 1, and rear stanchions 2. The back of the chair Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May '7, 1912.

Serial No. 623,893.

is paneled at 7, Fig. 1, between the rear stanchions or posts 2, and upper brace 3, and seat frame 4. On the inside of this panel facing the front of the chair is picture frame 8, into which any picture desired can be placed; over frame 8, is placed a false back, shown at 9, hinged to top brace 3, by hinges shown at 10, for the purpose of opening and closing the same. The false back 9 is held up by a button shown at 11, which can be turned down when thefalse back 9 is closed. Attached to inside of false back 9 is a picture frame 14, into which any picture desired can be placed. Picture frames 12 are attached to false back 9 by hinges shown at 13 for the purpose of folding and unfolding the same. When upper picture frame is opened the same is held in an upright position by turning button 15. The two remaining frames 12 are then opened to the right and left disclosing the pictures in all the frames.

The frames together with the back of the chair '7 and stanchions 2 form a cross. The head rest shown at 16, Fig. 2, can be removed and used as a book rest as shown at 27 Fig. 3, or an arm rest shown at 28, Fig. 1, both hereinafter described. This portion of the chair is composed of two pieces connected by hinges 23. The same can'be open and widened to hold a pillow when used for a head rest, or a book, when used for a book rest. These hinges 23 are the same as any common fiat hinges and are fastened to the rest by screws. Rest brackets 20 are made of iron, brass, or any other suitable material having the bottom end turned at right angle and fastened to the rest by screws and are for the purpose of holding rods 22. They are adjustable by fulcrum thumb screws 21, thereby tilting the rest to any position desired. Rods 22 are made of iron, brass, or any other suitable material and are for the purpose of holding the rest in place when inserted into rod receivers 26 shown at Fig. 5. Tube receivers 26 are fastened on the back of the back stanchions 2 of the chair as shown at Fig. 5, and are made of brass tubing attached to a plate fastened by screws in place as shown at Fig. 5. Book stop shown on arm rest 28, at 24, Fig. 1, is madeof brass and is fastened to the arm rest 28 by two short strips. When turned up the book stop is carried above the level of the book rest and is for the purpose of preventing the book from sliding off of the rest here shown at 27, Fig. 3, on the front ends of the arms of the chair shown at 6. The rest on the front ends of the arms 6, is held in place by tube rod receivers shown at 26, fastened to extension rods 25, shown at Fig. 4. They are fastened to tube rod receivers 26, and pass through stanchions 1 at 30, where a brass stop plate 29 is fastened to the ends by small screw nuts, for the purpose of preventing the rods 25 from being drawn entirely out. These extension rods 25 are for the purpose of placing the book rest at any angle required. The book rest 27 can be folded up and used as an arm rest, as shown at 28, Fig. 1. The arm rest 28, Fig. 1, is to be used while the person is in a kneeling position. Kneeling bench or foot rest 17 is constructed of wood or any other suitable material, and may be upholstered. The same is attached to the chair by folding arms 18, made of iron or an other suitable material. These arms are or the purpose of holding the bench in place as shown at Figs. 1 and 3.- When not in use the bench is folded between the front stanchions or posts 1, as shown at Fi 2. Spring stops 19 are made of flat stee or brass with the end turned up. These springs hold kneeling bench and foot rest 17 in place when turned up between stanchions 1.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a devotional chair, the combination of a picture frame in the back thereof, a false back hinged to the upper portion of said back adapted to open upward therefrom, picture frames hinged to the inner side of said false back adapted to open upward and outward therefrom, said frames adapted to fold inward upon said false back, and said false back being adapted to fold downward over the picture frame in the back of said chair, as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 22d day of April, 1911.

JOHN B. WEBSTER.

Witnesses:

H. J. B. WRIGHT, GEORGE W. VVALDoRF.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

